Posted: Mon 01 Oct 2012, 13:09 Post subject:
Wireless works 30% of the my boots, not the other 70%?

I think I may have already solved this (or not) but I'm having a hard time with an issue it brings up.

I'm running into a scenario with Lupu 528 where my wireless doesn't work. It just can't find the device, and if I go through the standard procedure of trying to put it "up" on the command line it says some stuff about sioccs something or other and that's all. (That isn't weird alone, this wireless card had trouble with Ubuntu for years.)

On top of that, I think I see where the problem is. (The log file shows that it's getting screwy loading some driver file and it advises I go download a new one. I don't technically understand what's going on, but I'm at the level where if I can track down a problematic element in my setup and just replace it with a fresh copy of said element it works most of the time.)

In the meantime, if I just reboot it has about a 30% chance of just working when it comes back. (I'm using it right now. Took three boots before it took.)

So here's my big question: if the computer is reading the puppy cd, pulling the same files, and following their instructions, trying to detect the same hardware under what seem to me to be essentially the same circumstances, how does it come to two entirely different results? What's the variable here?

I'm actually putting off fixing or changing anything because I want to understand what's going on and I don't want the problem to go away.

First make sure you are using Lucid Puppy 5.2.8.005 The latest version.
Wireless support is a black art and needs specific driver support for specific wireless hardware.
The problem could be as simple as needing a driver that does not come pre-installed with Lucid 528.

Look here for any new driver or required driver for your wireless hardware.
If yours is not recognized you probably need a new "driver" for it. Fortunately those are often available but they are online--maintained by tempestuous. You can use another system to go to http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=59000

Lucid Puppy 5.2.8 also has this option:
Frisbee network manager. There is a menu entry Internet -> Frisbee Network Manager Install to install an alternate network manager to the puppy default. This gives twice as many chances to get connected. There is also an entry in Puppy Package Manager. Here is information ->
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=64472
__________________________________I have found, in trying to help people, that the things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected

Any perspective on how/why (in a broader sense) it is even possible for Lupu/my computer to come out of booting with the wireless ready to go some of the time, and other times not, when all I've done is press the power button and watch?

Most logical reason. Can you use logic with computer problems?
It may be selecting a driver that works for your hardware, but is not specifically tweaked to give 100% support for your specific hardware. Works for that manufacture, but not specifically made for the model you have.
Puppy tries to guess the best driver to use. The drivers that come pre-installed with Puppy are best general support for specific hardware. I have seen driver version have a big effect on results. May need a newer version of driver or one more specific to your hardware.
Some people report better results using Frisbee Network Manager._________________I have found, in trying to help people, that the things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected

So every time puppy loads it tries to guess the best driver for my hardware, and sometimes it chooses option A, sometimes option B?

That's the part that I'm not getting. Assuming that there's some sort of if-then chain of events that allows puppy to pick the driver ("Okay, so there's X wireless card, and Y processor, in which case I choose Z driver.") how does it come up with different answers on different boots, if the hardware is always the same?

the first time Puppy boots it selects drivers to use for the hardware it finds.
After that, it uses the same drivers each time it boots. The drivers do not change unless you do something to change driver selection.

What I am saying is the driver Puppy is using, for your hardware, is not specific enough to your hardware. It works sometimes but is off just enough to not work all the time. Manufactures make drivers for specific models of their hardware. A specific driver for a specific piece of hardware is needed for 100%.
You may need a newer version of the driver that corrects things like the problems you are having.

Do not overlook the possibility that your wireless device is intermittently working.
The frequency setting may need to be changed. Could be getting interference from someone using the same freq.
Some other device in room causing interference with signal.

Have you tried any of the suggestions I posted?_________________I have found, in trying to help people, that the things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected

" As a result of this effort, Broadcom released an updated Linux wireless driver that supports cards based on the

Broadcom 4311, 4312, 4321, and 4322 chipsets,

which include the Dell 1490, 1395,
1397, 1505, and 1510 Wireless cards.

This driver is included in the Ubuntu 8.10 release, and should be
added to Ubuntu 8.04. It is currently only partially open-source,
similar to ATI or NVIDIA video drivers, so keep this in mind when deciding if you want to use it.

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